1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to a process for dehydrogenating hydrocarbons. More particularly, this invention relates to the oxidative dehydrogenation of organic compounds in the presence of modified zinc ferrite catalyst compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Oxidative dehydrogenation processes wherein zinc ferrite catalyst compositions have been employed to convert saturated and/or unsaturated hydrocarbons to more highly unsaturated hydrocarbons through removal of hydrogen from such hydrocarbons are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,303,235. However, such catalyst compositions do not retain their good initial activity and deteriorate rapidly under the reaction conditions of the oxidative dehydrogenation process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide catalyst compositions which, when employed in oxidative dehydrogenation processes, effect high conversions at high selectivities to the desired product.
It is another object of the present invention to provide more stable and, hence, longer-lived catalyst compositions than heretofore employed in oxidative dehydrogenation processes.